1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a portable terminal device such as an electronic pocket organizer.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In an electronic pocket organizer, data entered by an operator using a keyboard is usually stored in a RAM, which makes it possible to utilize the data. For example, the operator can see the contents of the data, because the electronic pocket organizer can read the data from the RAM and display the read-out data on a display area.
One example of such an electronic pocket organizer has a function for transferring valuable data stored in the RAM to an external device such as another electronic pocket organizer, when a transfer command is input. FIG. 5 is a flowchart illustrating the control procedure for a data transfer process of a CPU in a conventional electronic pocket organizer. When the operator depresses the keys (step S10), the CPU judges in step S11 whether the key input indicates the transfer command or not. If Yes, the CPU reads out the data stored in the RAM and the read-out data is transferred to the external device in step S12. If No, the process proceeds to step S13 in which the CPU executes another process such as a data display process or a data storing process.
However, in the above-mentioned transfer system, when a fault occurs in the key input portion due to short circuit or the like, the operator cannot input the transfer command for transferring data to the external device. In the transfer system, the CPU checks whether the data is normal or not prior to the execution of the transfer program, and when the data is determined to be abnormal, the CPU does not execute the transfer program. Therefore, when a fault occurs in the key input portion, or when an abnormality occurs in part of the data stored in the RAM (for example, when the data is improperly rewritten due to run away), the data is not available, and moreover the data cannot be transferred to the external device. This means that the valuable data which has been input by the operator is wasted.